1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a sanitary color-enhancing hair fixative composition in combination with an apparatus and method for applying the composition to hair in situ.
This invention pertains to the field of cosmetics and to the specific field of haircare. In hairstyling it is desirable to create an expanded "puffed up" or "fluffed up" appearance of increased body and volume of hair by separating individual hair shafts and causing them to protrude outwardly from the skin in an upright position somewhat perpendicular at large acute angles in relation to the skin. It is also frequently common practice in the art of hairstyling and desirable by those skilled in the art to sculpt a slicked-back, flattened appearance in which the hair describes small acute angles in relation to the skin.
To achieve these useful and desirable appearances stylists skilled in the art employ the application of liquid adhesives and chemical "holding agents" involving often complex sequential processes composed of many interrelated sequential consecutive steps to cause individual hair shafts to remain in a desired somewhat upright orientation in relation to the skin, or, alternately, in a position of repose, or, "laid down" position oriented somewhat parallel to the skin describing a small acute angle in relation to the skin. This has been accomplished by those skilled in the art by use of various blends and compositions of various adhesive mixtures, chemical compounds, or, materials applied using various multistep complex methods employing a combination of variety of many types of applicators, instruments, tools, together with techniques of styling materials which traditionally accomplish application to the hair shafts by direct contact through various interrelated and interdependent multistep techniques of alternate wiping, combing, brushing, and spraying with various sprayers including aerosols, wet sprays; and, or, gels, together with combing, curling, rolling, and wrapping devices, respectively-some of which apply heat; and, or, two-stage "setting" or chemically interactive polymerizing and setting means. The object of methods of liquid or vaporous application is to encapsulate the entire hairshaft individually and collectively with a composition of liquid coating which will evaporate leaving a hardened solidified residue so as to render the hair shafts less flexible and able to move causing them to remain as positioned for an extended period and resist movement or change in position; and, in some instances (depending on the particular type of fixative used) increase, or, decrease infusion and diffusion; of, and migration of moisture into, through and over the hair. This is accomplished by various means which has traditionally been used by those skilled in the art by means of chemical agents to accomplish this by incrementally depositing successive layers of residual solids remaining from evaporated fluidized fixture or holding agents thus increasing the cross-sectional diameter and circumference of hair shafts in a somewhat evenly distributed homogenous coating of the entire hair shaft artificially by adding this incremental thin layer of semi-rigid coating of residual solids to the outer circumference of the hair shaft thus stiffening the hair shafts and contributing to their tendency to stand up and mutually adhere to each other. Desirable results have been obtained by use of volatile fluidized liquids, gaseous, vaporous or chemical substances acting as diluents or carriers for blended compositions consisting of compounds and mixtures of solids suspended and dispersed in them which during application, sublimation, and subsequent evaporative drying takes place evaporating the fluidized volatile liquid or gaseous components of the fixative or holding mixtures leaving the suspended solid components deposited on the collective hair shafts in a manner which results in a stiffening or hardening and immobility of the hair through a process of adhesive bonding; and, or, in some cases, partial chemical bonding which may involve partial cross-linking with various components of the hair tissue. This can in some instances be achieved by thermal means employing a variety of heat sources by direct contact, inductive, or convective means of heat transfer originating from a variety of types and designs of hand-held heating curling irons; and, or, hot air blowers which can be either hand-held or completely envelop the entire body of hair to dry, or, set liquid compositions of thermoplastic; and, or, thermosetting suspended solid particles of adhesive fixative materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hair holding adhesives employing various means of apparatus, instruments, fluids and techniques using brushing, combing and heat have been used for many years to create useful and attractive hairstyles which accentuate the positive aspects of the users physical features. Haircare compositions are capable of altering facial characteristics of the person being styled. Hair can be "fluffed up" or "slicked back" through various means of "volumizing" or aggregating individual hair shafts collectively or by disaggregating them to produce a desired effect which can express the image desired by the person being styled.
Fragrances are often included in haircare compositions to impart desirable olfactory sensations for those in close proximity to the person styled. Insoluble hydrophobic and lipophilic waxy and oily materials as well as soluble hydroalcoholic aqueous materials are applied individually and in combination to provide desired appearances. These materials may contain emollients, lubricants, illuminants, fragrances, preservatives, moisturizers, plasticizers, emulsifiers, colorants and micro-biocides to impart desirable properties to the composition when applied to the hair in situ.
Because of the heterogeneous nature and phases of the anhydrous and hydrophilic components it is often necessary to liquefy and emulsify them using physical and chemical means to alternately disperse and intersperse them in desirable ways to produce the phase, viscosity, molecular weight and distribution of components throughout the composition in a homogenous manner through the use of mechanical mixing, melting, heat and chemical dispersing agents such as ionized, cationic or no-ionic surfactants.